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Quick & Easy Lemon Buttermilk Scones

These lemon buttermilk scones are light, flaky, delicious and ready in 15 minutes! You don’t even need an electric mixer.

I’m a huge fan of scones. My recipe for Classic Buttermilk Scones was one of the very first recipes I shared here and it’s become one of the most popular. And for good reason – it’s so easy to make, it’s absolutely delightful and it’s ready in no time at all.

One day though, as is usual in the TUB household, I had extra lemons lying around. So I experimented with my time-tested recipe and made a lemon version. And it turned out quite lovely too!

Change #1: lemon sugar

I didn’t change the recipe drastically (why fix what’s not broken, right?).I just added lemon sugar by rubbing lemon zest and sugar together using my fingertips until our whole house smelled like lemon heaven.

Try it even if you don’t really need lemon sugar (though I’m sure we’ll find a use for it). It’s amazing.

Change #2: lemon glaze

Then I added a lemon glaze to make it even more lemony. I like my lemon buttermilk scones plain but if you’re looking for a touch of lemony sweetness, the glaze is for you.

Change #3: frozen grated butter

Instead of using cold and cubed butter, I froze my butter, grated it, then put it back in the freezer while I prepped everything else. It was a tip I saw on The Kitchn. It’s genius (albeit a bit of work)! It results to flakier scones and it’s how I make even my classic scones now.

Change #4: rounds instead of triangles

I bought this cookie cutter from the baking supplies store which I have not used ever and for which Red constantly gives me the side-eye for (what can I say, it was cute and less than $5!). So I finally used it and made round scones.

You can shape your scones any which way you like, no side-eyes from me. Just keep them all the same shape so they bake evenly.

Result: lemon buttermilk scones nirvana

All these little changes resulted to a scone as lovely as the original. It’s not overtly lemony and like my original scones recipe, not excessively sweet. I love it freshly baked, slathered with butter (or clotted cream if I can get my hands on a jar), perfect for brunch.

Great for Easter!

Speaking of brunch. If Easter brunch is your thing, these lemon buttermilk scones would be perfect. Make them just before guests arrive. Or you can make them the night before – just freeze in Ziploc bags, then reheat when you’re ready to serve. They won’t be as flaky but they will still be delicious.

Add the 3/4 cup grated butter and cut with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks coarse (you should still see pieces of butter/flour "balls" about the size of chickpeas).

Make a well in the middle and add 1 cup buttermilk. Mix until just combined. Don't over mix.

Transfer the dough to a floured surface and lightly knead into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle (see notes). Cut out using a 2 to 3-inch cookie cutter and place on your prepared baking pans. Space them out evenly, about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. In the meantime, prepare your glaze.

To make grating butter easier, put the butter in the freezer at least an hour before you plan to grate it. I use a cheese grater. Once you've grated all the butter, put it back in the freezer until ready to use. Of course, you can also opt to just use chilled and cubed butter.

You also have the option to divide your dough into two 3/4 inch thick, 6-diameter rounds. Cut each round into 8 wedges.

Reader Interactions

Comments

The scones are delicious. My partner made them and he is not a baker. Lemon sugar was a great idea and grating frozen butter made life a breeze. It is the first time I have had fluffy scones. Thank you for sharing your recipe. They will be a must when I make high tea for mom and her friends.

I’m sold on grated butter, my scones are the best I’ve made to date ! Light and flakey and the glaze was the finishing touch. My daughter loves scones and my previous efforts from a booklet she handed me turned out less than good. She will love these while recooperating from back surgery. Thanks for a great recipe, look forward to more

These were a huge hit at my brunch and everyone wanted the recipe. I made them ahead and froze them, baked them off and frosted them the day I was serving them and they were perfect. This is the perfect scone recipe!!

Hi Marielle, homemade scones are so much better than those from the store (unless you mean from a lovely little local bakery then I support those haha) but seriously, they are so easy to make. Hope you try them out!

Hi Neely! I hope you try these ones (or my recipe for classic ones). I’ve gotten lots of positive feedback so if you ever want to try again, got the recipes for you! 🙂 I promise they are simple, easy and delicious.

Girl, I’m all about this round thing instead of triangles!! Seems so much easier!! And I’m all about that! You know I love this recipe cause lemon. Duh. If we lived closer, I’d be on your doorstep asking for some 🙂 Pinned! P.S. watched TWD finale and have so many thoughts. At least it was a bit more action than what was going on this past season. Other than that, not the best season at all, was it?

Hi Dawn! Yeah, round scones look prettier and held their shape better me thinks 🙂 TWD…hmmm…no words. I love the show and all (but mostly Daryl I think hahaha) and I just hope things pick up next season!! And what’s up with those weird garbage group eh? So strange. Though I must admit at one point in my life my mom had me get a haircut just like their leader LOL!!!

I know, right?? What the heck is up with those garbage people? Like, where did they come from?? UGH! Ever watch Z Nation? It’s like a less serious (and sometimes silly) zombie show. The garbage people seem like that should be on that. It all seems too weird. And Rick? No words for me on that one. I just hope next season is better-I’m hanging on by a thread here. Only that I’ve been watching it so long, I might give up on it. P.S. Love to see a pic of that haircut 😉

Yummy is not enough to describe these scones. I love lemon flavored pastries and these lemon buttermilk scones are to die for. Thanks for the recipe! I will include this in our menu plan for next week. I’m looking forward to a delicious breakfast or snack!

My boyfriends parent have lemon trees that are producing so much fruit; I have more lemons than I know what to do with. I’m so glad I came across this recipe. It sounds wonderful and a perfect way to use some of my lemons!

Uhm….you can send them to me? 🙂 🙂 🙂 I’m so jealous of people with lemon trees! And yes, this is a lovely lemon scone recipe (and if you want more lemony things you can search the blog, I have a whole category dedicated to lemons – I’m the self proclaimed president of The Lemon Club haha). Hope you guys like this Danielle!

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Hi! I'm Jolina and I'm definitely a late bloomer, a thoroughly unexpected baker. You wouldn't find me in the kitchen as a child. And I have no memories of baking cookies with my grandma. I loved to eat, I just had absolutely no interest in cooking or baking. But now I can’t wait to come home and bake something. I guess life is funny that way. Extraordinary too. READ MORE.